Increase the Peace founder Delroy Ellis says he's determined to revive his youth charity after its application for funding was turned down by the police commissioner.

Mr Ellis said he is upset that Martin Surl, Gloucestershire's Police and Crime Commissioner, didn't give a single penny to his charity - which he says has over the years educated 1,000 youngsters about the risks of carrying knives.

He believes there may be "political" reasons behind the charity's application for £220,000 being turned down due to his criticism of the police in the past, and because the charity grew bigger than many expected.

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Increase the Peace has had to close its youth provision over the last few weeks, but Mr Ellis said he's still determined to re-open the Tredworth-based charity, which was used by 80 young people a week.

Mr Surl said he received 166 bids for funding from his £1million Commissioner's Fund, and he said the application from Increase the Peace was unsustainable.

Mr Ellis said: "It's upsetting. I believe there's a political reason behind this. I believe our local government and politicians and the police feel that Increase the Peace has got too big.

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"Increase the Peace has never supposed to be a charity that would eventually be one of the leading charities around knife crime and gangs, partly working with challenging and high risk children.

"I feel I need to be a voice for young people. The police know they are never going to be able to get the respect and responses we as a charity get from young people."

'They don't know our young people'

Increase the Peace has delivered workshops to more than 500 young people in Gloucester about the dangers of carrying weapons.

It has also providers the Peace Pedalers – youth workers funded through the Hollie Gazzard Trust to go out on bicycles around Gloucester to engage with young people hanging around in the streets.

The charity also ran youth clubs, activities and educational workshops four nights a week at its centre in Parry Hall.

Increase the Peace garden project

Mr Ellis said he expects antisocial behaviour around Tredworth is getting worse and would continue to do so if Increase the Peace was forced to close for good.

Two organisations which did receive commissioner funding were Fearless - a site where people can access information about crime and pass on information anonymously, and Great Expectations - a multi-agency project to support young people on the periphery of crime. But Mr Ellis said these organisations "don't know our communities and don't know our young people."

He said: "My world has been turned upside down, and also for my team. All we've tried to do is make a positive contribution to our city and our young people and our community. Isn't it a shame that those, who know who they are, don't think the same?"

Mr Ellis is now trying to find alternative sources of funding to re-open Parry Hall. Several crowdfunding accounts have been set up in support of Increase the Peace.

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He said: "I'm a fighter and a believer. This is a brick wall that has been erected in front of me that I'm currently still looking at. When I do get the right tools to knock it down these tools are going to be my tools."

Increase the Peace was given £32,643 from the Commissioner's Fund in 2013 and according to Mr Surl the charity's aim was to make their centre self-funding within four years.

Mr Ellis said this has not been possible as Increase the Peace does not own its own building and because they "can't make money from young people."

'It's not a charity'

Mr Surl says he believes Increase the Peace have also been offered alternative premises - something which Mr Ellis denies.

The crime commissioner said invitations from Fearless to Increase the Peace to work together have gone unanswered, which Mr Ellis also denies.

Mr Surl said Great Expectations and Fearless are having a substantial impact on young people - and their programmes have so far been delivered at more than 25 educational establishments throughout the county to thousands of students.

He said it would be "arrogant and insulting" to imply other organisations may be unable to fill the void left by Increase the Peace.

Martin Surl

Mr Surl said: "I thought I made it clear this was purely a business decision and I can’t understand why Mr Ellis should think it was in any way personal. My office did all it could to help him onto to a secure financial footing and has since offered him an opportunity to lend his expertise to an assignment following the recent knife crime summit to which he has so far not replied.

"Significantly, where Increase the Peace has been unable to attract no match funding, Great Expectations has drawn-in substantial contributions.

"The City Farm, Friendship Café and Tredworth Amateur Boxing Club are also supported through the Commissioner’s Fund and doing good work in Barton and Tredworth as well.

"The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner is not a charity. The Commissioner’s Fund is made up of public money. Every penny has to be accounted for and grants come with certain stipulations. Mr Ellis had four years to meet those requirements and he failed. The harsh reality is that he either blames others in his organisation or accepts responsibility himself."

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Gloucester City Council has encouraged Increase the Peace to apply for funding through its small grants programme in June - although this is a much smaller pot of money than Mr Surl has available.

Paul James, leader of Gloucester City Council (C, Longlevens), said: "I was disappointed to learn that Increase the Peace were unsuccessful with their recent bid to the Police and Crime Commissioner. I do understand that demand for funding is high with so many great charities and organisations in the County so decisions on how to distribute funds are difficult to make.

"We have offered to provide support in applying to other funders and sincerely hope that their valuable work in educating young people about the dangers and consequences of knife crime can continue. Reducing knife crime remains a shared priority for public agencies working in the city."

If you can help Increase the Peace's current funding situation, call Berni Buchanan on 07896 009622 or email berni@increasethepeace.co.uk.